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Back to: | Back to: [[Family History for the Flummoxed]] ''': '''[[Flummoxed - Extending Family Lines]] | ||
'''Note:''' This page is part of the Flummoxed series and made to help those who haven't found family history information in the usual places. More information about searching the usual places is on the [[Flummoxed - Extending Family Lines]] page. | '''Note:''' This page is part of the Flummoxed series and made to help those who haven't found family history information in the usual places. More information about searching the usual places is on the [[Flummoxed - Extending Family Lines]] page. | ||
= Flummoxment = | |||
You've come here because you're not finding family records from the {{H:title|Before about 1600|early period}}. | |||
= Most Common Reason = | = Most Common Reason = | ||
The most common reason for | The most common reason for this is that the records from the {{H:title|Before about 1600|early period}} simply don't exist. Surviving records from these times relate primarily to royalty, nobility, the educated, and those who owned land or property. Religious records for common people are sparse. | ||
= Suggestions = | = Suggestions = | ||
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== Consider Switching to Descendancy Research == | == Consider Switching to Descendancy Research == | ||
If your ancestors are commoners coming from the Western world (the Americas, Europe, and Western Asia), then continuing may be very difficult and progress very limited. If you have enjoyed doing family history research, you may find just as much satisfaction by switching to descendancy research. Instead of working backward in time from that last ancestor, try instead to find all of his living descendants--your cousins. If you are | If your ancestors are commoners coming from the Western world (the Americas, Europe, and Western Asia), then continuing may be very difficult and progress very limited. If you have enjoyed doing family history research, you may find just as much satisfaction by switching to descendancy research. Instead of working backward in time from that last ancestor, try instead to find all of his living descendants--your cousins. If you are {{H:title|A Latter-day Saint|member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints}} and have questions about descendancy research, click [http://lds.org/ensign/2007/04/branching-out-on-your-family-tree?lang=eng here] | ||
== Consider Hiring a Professional Researcher == | == Consider Hiring a Professional Researcher == | ||
If you don't have the ability to personally do the research but feel compelled to go on, then consider hiring a [[Hiring a Professional Researcher|professional researcher]]. | If you don't have the ability to personally do the research but feel compelled to go on, then consider hiring a [[Hiring a Professional Researcher|professional researcher]]. | ||
== Continue Searching for Religious Records == | == Continue Searching for Religious Records == | ||
FamilySearch has a high percentage of religious records from the {{H:title|Before about 1600|early period}}, but there are still some not in the FamilySearch collections. The earliest religious records are usually in central archives and no longer available through local parishes and synagogues. Early religious records are well researched and cataloged. You may find books of record inventories that specify the archives holding the records in the | FamilySearch has a high percentage of religious records from the {{H:title|Before about 1600|early period}}, but there are still some not in the FamilySearch collections. The earliest religious records are usually in central archives and no longer available through local parishes and synagogues. Early religious records are well researched and cataloged. You may find books of record inventories that specify the archives holding the records in the FamilySearch Library's [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog On-line Catalog]. If you need information from a foreign country, search this FamilySearch Wiki for "Letter Writing Guide" along with the name of the country in which you are searching. | ||
== Use Alternate Sources == | == Use Alternate Sources == | ||
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